Captain Oblivious: Yes, poor Erick! Something tells me he will have a smile on his face very soon! But nature must have a balance, for surely pleasure cannot exist without pain.
Midnight Tango: Thank you. I am excited also for then next chapters! The story grows in my mind as I sleep, and I cannot wait to see what the future brings for Erick and Christine!
Glitter Queen of the Ice Show: You are right, Christine needs to get back to him…her one true love…Plato would call it a fated pairing…they are truly split-aparts!
Chapter 12 How can it be?Raoul was climbing the stairs now. Nearly blinded by his tears and grief. How could she have chosen to go back? He had rescued her? He loved her, could give her everything she had ever dreamed of. The Phantom held no horror for her now, why would she ever choose to throw her life away?
His anger tempered only by the gaping wound in his heart, both abating it, and fueling his need for revenge. The stairs seemed longer than he had remembered, and the climb was taking its' toll on his ravaged body.
Cold, exhausted, his neck still throbbing from the pain of the ropes that had bound him. He stopped to rest against the wall, gasping pitifully trying to regain his strength to keep going. His descent had been swift fueled by his love and sense of responsibility for her. Now, feeling the searing sting of defeat, he wanted only to leave this world, for he could not bear to think of living in it without her by his side. She had promised him…promised to love him for a lifetime….and he had promised too.
On this day his Christine, his little Lottie had died to him, and he wished he could close his eyes and die too. A desperate longing settled upon him…only if he had perished in that watery grave so he might not have known her choice. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. The smooth cold stone of the rocky stairwell pressing firmly against his weary back.
Raoul startled as he heard the echo of voices, many voices from above. His eyes opened to see a distant glimmer. Had someone found his path? Had Madame Jiry decided to send others after him to help or rescue? He rose to his feet with renewed strength realizing that with assistance, he might now be able to bring her back. He wiped his brow, thoughts racing at the possibilities. She would need months of patience and encouragement, but she could come out from under this spell which held her, and learn to love him again. He had to hope, to dream it could be, there must be a reason to go on, and now he knew.
He shouted out, "you there, come quickly, he's down here!" The trampling of boots and clanking of swords against the brick grew louder. He leaned against the wall again trying to collect himself. The light grew brighter until he could see the torches, and with them, nearly thirty men. "Come, let us go quickly." The mob began their descent, moving slowly in single file, as Raoul advised them to stay along the wall to avoid the snare he had found himself victim to just an hour before.
XXXXX
Erik took in a sharp breath, then he gasped "Christine!" She stood there before him, dress sodden, eyes wide, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She looked at him pleading with her eyes. The corners of her lips lifting slightly as if in an attempt to smile. She looked down, her lashes pushing back some of the tears before looking back up at Erik.
Erik stood, unable to move or speak. "Erik.." Christine managed as she started moving toward him. "I believed that you loved me.." she began slowly, evenly, trying to calm her own nerves. "In all that has happened in this one night, I thought that we were meant to be together…forever…" She felt her voice catch in her throat as her emotions got the best of her. She began to cry. Erik trembled, she held his fragile heart in her hands, capable of both healing or dashing it against the craggy rocks…he was so vulnerable, but even death itself held less fear than the pain of the finality of this moment…it would forever change him to the core. He held his breath.
Sucking back her fears, she began again through a tear-filled voice "I have never loved another as I have you, never imagined being with another than you, never desired to embrace another as I do you. I have done things that may be unforgivable in your eyes, but I would not be true to my heart…..no, my soul, if I did not return to you, my teacher, my angel, my …" She broke down and started to sob.
Erik stood motionless, his brow furrowed, his lips trembling. Christine continued, "I meant what I said to you before. You had chosen me Erik, you said so yourself…and tonight I thought you understood that I had chosen too."
Erik rushed toward her taking her into his arms. He held her as close as flesh would allow, as if she would disappear like a vapor if he did not, a mist in a dream. She nestled her head into his chest.
His hands gently slid from the embrace and moved up towards the curves of her face. He tenderly lifted her chin, their eyes meeting in a fiery flash, lingering doubts dissolving between them. The fates had brought them together. They stood clinging to one another, staring deeply into each other's eyes, no words needed saying. Words would surely have diminished the intensity of the moment, for when hearts are speaking, ears are of little use. Wishes, hopes, and dreams exchanging in the power of their gazes.
Erik tilted his head toward Christine, and she towards him, until at last their lips met in a sweet and tender kiss. Christine pulled her hands from Erik's chest and wrapped her arms securely around his neck. A warming flame taking over his damp chilled bones.
Neither cared about the chill in the air or the weight of the clothing that hung water logged from their frames. Erik lifted Christine into his arms and she rested her cheek against the broad expanse of his chest. He carried her back into her room, and carefully sat her on the edge of her bed.
He turned from her without a word and moved toward the closet he had prepared for her. Reaching inside he retrieved several garments and handed them to Christine. She looked up at him confused. "Erik?" she said with bewildered question in her voice. "You must be freezing in that cold wet dress. Come you need to change into something suitable for traveling."
"Where are we going Erik?" Christine asked as she began to remove the first layers of her dress. Erik had turned his back to her so as to afford her some privacy. The air was cold and the drafts that swirled through the caverns made her damp skin shiver.
"We must go from this place Christine, and perhaps never return. While it grieves me to leave the safety of my, …our, …this place, I know we shan't be safe here. They will come looking for me, for us, as I am certain that they will not be satisfied with the conclusion of events."
"Erik? I need you." Erik turned his head slightly as if to inquire. "I am again at a loss for reach, as I am not accustomed to removing these things on my own. It is a flaw in design…to be so dependent on another for the mere task of dressing and disrobing."
Erik turned to see an embarrassed Christine with her back towards him, arm and hand pointing to the back of her dress. Erik smiled a sympathetic smile, and moved toward her to assist. He tried to keep his mind on the task at hand as he moved the laces out of each eyelet further releasing Christine from its grasp. Finally, he was finished and he gazed at the fully exposed flesh of her back. He reached out his hand and gently caressed the soft pink skin. Christine felt a hot shiver run up her spine.
She held her dress to her front tightly to keep it all from falling to the floor. "Thank you", she said discreetly. Erik moved back to the other side of the room. "I must go to prepare myself, I shall return in a short while, after giving you ample time to dress." With that Erik left the room.
Christine pulled the blanket from the bed, wrapping its warm length around her shoulders. She shivered as she let the wet garments fall to the floor. The blanket felt good against her frigid skin. Not knowing how much time she had before Erik's return, she moved quickly toward the darkest corner of the room, behind a dressing screen that Erik had put there for her months earlier. She slid on the stockings first, and then all of the other undergarments. Looking in the pile she found no corset. She had dressed with one for as long as she could remember wearing a dress, but tonight she worried little, as she put on her slip and finally pulled the dress up over her hips and onto her shoulders.
The issue of hooks and ribbons still plagued her as she could only reach half-way up her back. She would ask for assistance again when he returned. She was grateful that there was a cloak among the items he had retrieved for her. She placed it around her shoulders. Looking around she saw no shoes, but imagined that if they were there, they would be in the closet.
She moved to it and peered inside. There were several pair to choose from and she selected the most sturdy among them. They were hardly a match for the beauty of the dress she now wore, but she thought the most practical for traveling.
Glancing around the closet, she marveled at all the fine things that he had procured for her. Several dresses in tones of jade, ruby, sapphire, and the deepest purple she could remember. There were several beautiful nightgowns, and a soft robe, made of a fabric she had never seen before. There were chemise, and other undergarments as well. At the back of the closet she noticed a rather large shadow. Being curious she reached back until her hand grasped it fully. She pulled it from it's home to find it was a rather large traveling case. She placed it on her bed and opened it fully. It could hold a great deal.
Glancing back at the closet she realized she must also prepare for their travels. He had said that they would likely never return to this place, and she had no desire to leave behind all the lovely things he had carefully selected for her.
One after another she folded and placed the garments in the bag, patting them down to make room for another. She came to the last hanger and slipped it from the hook, looking down at it. It was a soft white gown, understated but still elegant by all measures. It was not like any that she had seen before. There were no hooks or ribbons, simply one large garment with a place for her neck, two arms, and a larger hole at the bottom where she assumed she could pull it over her head. She stood rubbing her hands across its smooth fabric, and wondering what this was suitable for. She shook her head and folded it and put it in the bag with the rest.
Placing the several pair of shoes in the bag, she reached over to the dresser to collect the combs and brushes, and hair ribbons. She thought whimsically to herself that for a man, he had taken great care to make sure he had provided everything she had needed. She lashed the ties on the garment bag, and turned to face the opening to her room.
There, Erik stood looking at her. "Whatever are you doing Christine?" She sat the bag back down on the bed. "You had said that we were traveling, and you yourself had gone to prepare, so it seemed that I should do the same…is that alright?" Erik flashed her a reassuring smile. "I am glad to see we are of one mind. Your preparedness will make our departure much swifter." Erik moved toward her and picked up the bag. "Come, we must depart, we have a long uneasy journey, and time will be of the essence." Erik turned his back and started to walk toward the opening.
"Um, if it is not too much trouble, I am in need of your assistance just this once more before we leave." Christine removed her cloak and turned her back toward Erik. The cloak had held her dress in place on her shoulders, but now it fell several inches before she let the cloak drop to the floor, clutching the dress with both her hands. Erik moved toward her with a little laugh in his voice, "It is alright, I understand that these things are difficult to care for on your own." He ran the last laces through and drew the last ribbon into a bow.
"I am sorry that this dress does not fit properly, I thought that I had estimated correctly." "No, the dress is wonderful, and beautiful. I had no corset to put on so the dress is a bit loose on that account." Erik felt flushed. A proper woman would have had a corset. He had forgotten to bring that to her, and felt a bit uneasy. "I am sorry. If we had more time, I would allow you to change, but if you can manage, we should depart." Christine nodded in agreement. It could be tended to later. How long she would have to go she did not know.
With that Erik lifted her cloak and fastened it about her neck and smoothed it over her shoulders. He reached down and gently kissed Christine. Looking her deep in the eyes he took her by the hand, "Come my love, we must go, I will lead you to safety where neither time nor man may harm you."
Erik led her out into the main room where several bags lay by the large mirror in the center. He took up a large candlestick and thrust it into the mirror's center several times before it started to give way. After several more blows it surrendered it's home. Erik took two bags in one hand, and Christine's hand in the other. Looking back he bent down to kiss her gently one more time, and the two departed into the darkness of the cave. The heavy back veil settling back into its place. They'd left the safety of Erik's home to begin their journey, to where she did not know, but she didn't care….as long as she was with him.